The American Dental Association and the American Board of Dental Examiners have finalized an agreement to incorporate the ADA’s Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination into the ADEX Dental Examination no later than Aug. 1, 2026.
The agreement combines clinical hand-skills evaluation with an evidence-based, image-rich assessment tool designed to reflect real-world practice. The integration is intended to support licensure candidates, public health, and licensing boards, while reinforcing standards for patient safety.
The updated ADEX Dental Examination will continue to assess clinical hand skills alongside treatment planning and decision-making. With the addition of the DLOSCE, candidates will encounter exam components that use images and 3D models to evaluate clinical judgment in scenarios aligned with practice conditions.
“This agreement represents an important milestone for the dental profession,” said Dr. Richard Rosato, president of the ADA. “By aligning pathways to licensure and advancing candidate assessment, we are strengthening licensure portability, supporting a more mobile and responsive workforce, and ensuring that patient safety remains paramount. The ADA has long championed solutions that modernize licensure while protecting the public, and this collaboration reflects our commitment to shaping a strong, sustainable future for dentistry in service to public health.”
The agreement is expected to simplify licensure pathways and support portability for candidates seeking to practice in 48 states and jurisdictions that accept or require the ADEX Dental Examination, including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“ADEX has long served state dental boards to support licensure processes that reflect both public protection and clinical competence,” said Dr. Mark Armstrong, chair of ADEX. “This agreement continues that work by strengthening alignment across assessment components while preserving the clinical hand-skills evaluation that remains central to licensure in most U.S. jurisdictions.”
Development of the agreement followed collaboration among the ADA, ADEX, the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, and the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure beginning in 2025. In March 2026, both the ADA Board of Trustees and the ADEX Board of Directors approved the general terms that led to the agreement.
ADEX will sunset its DSE OSCE no later than Aug. 1, 2026. Following that date, all ADEX Dental Examination administrations will include the DLOSCE. The DLOSCE will no longer be offered as a standalone examination to new candidates after Aug. 1, 2026, and all standalone administrations will end after Oct. 9, 2026.
The ADA represents more than 152,000 dentist members and has supported the advancement of dental practice, research, and education since 1859. ADEX, established in 1969, works with state dental boards to administer competency examinations used for licensure across U.S. jurisdictions.
